Five remanded over £53m robbery

Last updated at 11:00 13 March 2006

Five people have appeared in court over Britain's biggest cash robbery.

The four men, who appeared via video link from Belmarsh Prison, and one woman, who appeared in person, have been charged with various counts of conspiracy to rob, kidnap and handling stolen goods in connection with the £53 million Securitas depot raid in Tonbridge, Kent, nearly three weeks ago.

Car dealer John Fowler, 60, of Elderden Farm, Chart Hill Road, Staplehurst, Kent, is charged with conspiracy to rob and three counts of kidnapping depot manager Colin Dixon, his wife Lynn and their son Craig, then eight, "unlawfully by force or fraud".

He is also accused, jointly with hairdresser Kim Shackleton, 38, of handling stolen goods. That charge relates to wire money cages found near Maidstone two days after the raid.

Stuart Royle, 47, of Allen Street, Maidstone, is charged with conspiracy to rob.

Mother-of-three Shackleton, who shares the same address as Royle, is jointly charged with Fowler with handling stolen goods.

Unemployed Jetmir Bucpapa, 24, of Hadlow Road, Tonbridge, and 33-year-old roofer Lea Rusha, of Lambersart Close, Southborough, near Tunbridge Wells, are both charged with one count of conspiracy to rob.

The five spoke only to confirm their names during the short preliminary hearing at Maidstone Crown Court before Judge Andrew Patience QC.

They were remanded in custody to appear at the same court on June 12 for a plea and directions hearing.

Raiders struck in the early hours of February 22, netting £53,116,760. Most of the cash is still missing.